Finnish company Wihuri Metro-tukku joined the ECD network in the European food service market / Specialized in the needs of the restaurant industry and a vital part of the industry ecosystem.

 

Vantaa/Hamburg, May 2023 – The ability to act internationally is becoming increasingly important for regional and national competitors in the face of changing operating environment. The ECD (European Catering Distributors), founded 30 years ago, is not only a group with many members, but also the one with a very wide coverage in the European food service market – from Estonia to Great Britain and Romania.

Welcome to the team: Since 2023 the Finnish company Wihuri Metro-tukku is a part of the ECD-network. Chief Executive of the ECD Ioannis Tsouloukidis: “I am pleased to announce the addition of Wihuri Metro-tukku as our newest ECD Member. I think the philosophy of the company fits perfectly with the vision we have for ECD and how we see the food service market developing in this decade. I believe that their experience and perspective will greatly contribute to our goals and enhance the overall dynamics of our Group. We warmly welcome our new member and look forward to a successful and fruitful journey together.”
 

“Wihuri Metro-tukku is an experienced wholesale operator in Finland with a strong local presence and history dating back to 120 years. We are specialized in the needs of the restaurateurs’ and want to work side-by-side with them to support their daily operations and success with an assortment, services and practises that matches to the requirements of restaurant business. “Riku Nykänen, Procurement Director of Wihuri Metro-tukku, introduces the company. As a working partner of a restaurant entrepreneur, Wihuri Metro-tukku wants to serve more comprehensively than ever; wholesale stores across Finland will be renewed during years of 2023-24. In the fall of 2023, they will open a flagship wholesale store in Helsinki Konepaja area.

Jukka Heinänen, Vice President & General Manager of Wihuri Metro-tukku: “Membership is a great opportunity for us to learn from our European colleagues and to cooperate with leading companies in the field. ECD is a unique organization and brings Wihuri Metro-tukku to a wider context of the restaurant industry. Through the ECD network, we are able e.g., to develop an even more interesting and relevant assortment for our customers and have beneficial and interesting knowledge about the trends of restaurant industry. This strengthens our operations and our ability to serve our customers even better and more professionally. At the same time our cooperation with ECD supports the implementation of our strategy as a working partner of a restaurant entrepreneur.”

Almost all companies of the ECD are managed by owners who value ECD's operational criteria and values. Founded by the initiative of the Service-Bund in Germany, together with the Austrian company Eurogast, the goals of the ECD are still relevant today: the support of Europe-wide major customers with consistently high quality standards, access to international purchasing sources and assortments, the offer of new products and ideas beyond national borders , exchange of experiences in the fields of logistics, digitalization and marketing and last but not least the cultural and culinary exchange of experiences with the partners.

 

Wihuri Metro-tukku – facts and figures:

21.000 Customers

800 Suppliers

15 Locations

320 Employees

20.000 Products in the assortment

122 Years of experience in the sector

 

About Wihuri Metro-tukku:

Wihuri Metro-tukku is one of the leading foodservice wholesalers in Finland with a history of more than 120 years. We serve nation-wide 21,000 customers through 15 cash & carries and Logistics Centre in Vantaa.  We have a true passion for food and want to work side by side with the restaurant entrepreneurs building successful business together. With a strong presence in our customers’ everyday lives, customized and customer-centric product and service portfolio, innovative solutions, and more digitalized customer experience, we want to be the most reliable working partner of restaurateurs’.

About the ECD:

European Catering Distributors is an International Foodservice group whose members are all major foodservice wholesale distributors in their own countries. Created in 1991, today there are 12 countries each represented by a member company or wholesaler group owned by its members. We are a committed partner in supplying the European Foodservice sector at both international, national and local levels. Our members aim to achieve the highest standards of customer service; to meet their customers' needs and expectations consistently and without compromise.

Reprint free – contact details:

 

Ioannis Tsouloukidis,

Chief Executive, European Catering Distributors

+49 173 760 73 51

ioannis@ecd.eu

 

Ralph Marko,

Communications Manager, European Catering Distributors

+49 151 23703221

ralph.marko@ebam-sb.de

 

Jukka Heinänen,

Vice President & General Manager, Wihuri Metro-tukku

+358 46 851 2626

jukka.heinanen@wihuri.fi

 

Riku Nykänen,

Procurement Director, Wihuri Metro-tukku

+358 40 769 6556

riku.nykanen@wihuri.fi